Labour and Employment minister, Dr. Chris Ngige has said that the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) are yet to send their representatives to the recently constituted committee to work on proper minimum wage for the civil servants.
The minister, who briefed news men today on the outcome of deliberations at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, named other groups that had not sent their representatives. As Nigeria Employers Consultative Assembly, Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture.(NACCIMA) as well as Small and Medium Scale Industry Association (SMSIA).
The minimum wage committee was set up in May this year, with its secretariat domiciled at the National Council for Salaries and Wages Commission.
Dr. Ngige said that the committee had him, the minister of labour and employment as deputy chairman of the committee even as ministers of finance and that of budget and national planning as members.
“The only appointee which is being awaited now is the chairman and we have concluded the process for the nomination. We are waiting for the requisite approval.
“The labour centers that is NLC and TUC are yet to bring their nomination, that is on the workers side.
“These groups will give us nominations so we are waiting. Once these nominations are in place the president will now inaugurate the committee.”
The labour minister said that the labour laws are clear and that such laws seek to protect both the workers and the employers.
“You don’t sleep on your right. When you know what is there, that your worker cannot take you for granted provided you also conform to the law. You cannot lock them out and if you do, the law says you pay them for the period of lock out. They too cannot take the law into their hands and embark on strike without giving you the mandatory notice: due consideration and social dialogue with you internally, second level with the ministry of labour and employment and third level is the issue of giving you notice.”[myad]
